Method and apparatus for multiple blow molding with rotary turntable

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are provided for multiple simultaneous blow molding operations for forming hollow objects such as containers, the method and apparatus employing at least two circumfrentially spaced parison forming means with a single rotary indexing turntable. A first container is formed at one station and a second container is formed at about the same time at a second station circumfrentially spaced from the first station, and the containers are simultaneously circumfrentially transferred to an unloading station. The method and apparatus provide for multiple container forming and unloading operations on the same turntable. Different containers may be manufactured at the same time with one rotary indexing turntable.

United States Patent 11 1 Pollock et a1.

[ Dec. 17, 1974 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE BLOW MOLDING WITH ROTARY TURNTABLE [75] Inventors: Donald M. Pollock, Morristown;

Fulton W. I-lallowell, Rumson, both 21 Appl. No.: 368,249

[52] US. Cl 425/142, 425/145, 425/D1G. 211, 425/DIG. 231 [51] Int. Cl. 1328b 17/00, B29c B29f [58] Field of Search 425/142, 145, DIG. 211, 425/206, 212, 213, 231

Primary Examiner-lames L. Jones, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmMarvin Feldman; J. B. Felshin [57] ABSTRACT A method and apparatus are provided for multiple simultaneous blow molding operations for forming hollow objects such as containers, the method and apparatus employing at least two circumfrentially spaced parison forming means with a single rotary indexing turntable. A first container is formed at one station and a second container is formed at about the same time at a second station circumfrentially spaced from the first station, and the containers are simultaneously circumfrentially transferred to an unloading station.

[56] References Cited I The method and apparatus provide for multiple con- UNITED STATES PATENTS tainer forming and unloadingvoperations on the same 3 566 441 3/1971 Thom et al 425mm 213 turntable. Different containers may be manufactured 3:596:3l5 8/197] Yoshikawaljii ill: 425mm: 213 at the Same time with one rotary indexing turntable- 3,611,484 10/197] Lecluyse et a] 425/D1G..2ll

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3 Glam, 8 Draw 643,006 5/1964 Belgium 425/D1G. 212

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/Zfl /Z/E sumsur l PATENTEB DEC 1 7 I974 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE BLOW MOLDING WITH ROTARY TURNTABLE This invention relates to blow molding. Specifically this invention relates to manufacturing plastic containers, such as bottles wherein a parison is extruded between opposed parted mold cavities and then blown in the closed mold to final configuration by the use of internally applied air pressure. More specifically this invention relates to manufacturing plastic containers as aforesaid wherein multiple manufacturing operations are performed with a single rotary turntable.

Heretofore one extruder was employed to extrude a parison for positioning in an opened partible mold mounted on a rotary indexing turntable. The mold was then closed and the parison was formed into a container. During one rotation of the turntable the blow molded container was formed, cooled and discharged from the reopened mold, prior to the reopened mold being positionedto receive the next extruded parison. In the prior art, the container discharge station was tioning of a parison therewithin. I

generally that indexing station next preceding the extruder station. The reopened, emptied mold was thus transferred from the discharge or unloading station to the extruder station.

Attempts were made to increase production rates by increasing the rotational speed of a conventional size turntable. Such attempts however were of limited success as the increased angular acceleration necessitated turntable redesign which was thought to be prohibitive.

It has now been found that many thermoplastic materials could be extruded, blow molded to form a hollow object such as a container, and the formed container.

method and apparatus for multiple extrusions and blow molding operations with a single rotary indexing turntable thereby increasing rates of production heretofore unattainable for such turntable.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for multiple blow molding operations to be performed with a rotary indexing turntable.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus as aforesaid wherein at least two extruders are circumfrentially spaced adjacent a rotary indexing turntable for providing parisons at about the same time to separate molds.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus as aforesaid wherein multiple parison positioning operations are actuated simultaneously.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus as aforesaid wherein several different objects may be blow molded at about the same time on a rotary indexing turntable.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus as aforesaid wherein the un- Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for loading a parison into and unloading a blow molded object from an opened partible mold with minimum dwell time.

It is afurther object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for loading a parison and unloading a blow molded object as aforesaid wherein multiple loadings and unloadings are performed at about the same time with a rotary indexing turntable.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for unloading a blow molded object from a partible mold as aforesaid wherein theapparatus is mounted to partible sections of the mold and is cooperatively actuated with the opening of the mold.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for multiple blow molding with a rotary indexing turntable whichis safe and practical in use and yet such apparatus is readily fabricated and of relatively inexpensive construction and practical in design and operation. I

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan schematic view of the rotary indexing turntable and extruder stations of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a-side elevational schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 depicting mold A and D at stations I and IV respectively;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the parison loading apparatus taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of mold D at station IV, depicting in action sequence container unloading and parison loading operations;

' FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of mold A in partial sectional view, at station I, immediately upon closure of the mold;

FIG. 6 is a functional schematic of the apparatus'of thisinvention;

FIG.7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the container unloader; and

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a rotary indexing turntable 10 having six equiangularly spaced partible molds A through F mounted thereon.-

Each of the molds A-F is rotatably indexed, in seriatim, that-is, each mold is sequentially stopped in rotation of the turntable 10, at each of .six equiangularly circumfrentially' spaced stations I through VI, in thecounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. A first thermoplastic extruder '1 1a is operatively positioned at station j l and a second thermoplastic extruder 11b is operatively positioned at station IV, diametrically disposed from the first extruder. The said extruders 1 la and 11b are mechanically equivalent in operation.

Each thermoplastic extruder 11a, 11b is generally of conventional design and comprises heated thermoplastic material plasticizer portions 12a, 12b respectively; extruder screw drive portions 13a, 13b respectively; cross-head die assemblies 14a, 14b respectively; outlet dies 15a, 15b respectively; and respective die faces 16a each 360 rotation or one full turn of turntable 10.

Every five turns of each screw extruder expresses sufficient plasticized thermoplastic material from its respective die face to form a parison P of sufficient length to form blown object O. Said parison P after being formed is then severed from its respective die face, grabbed, lowered and positioned between a parted, opened, indexed mold, as will be more fully described hereinafter. Each parison P is then blow molded in the closed mold to form an object 0, such as a container or bottle.

The screw extruder shaft of extruder 11a is mechanically interconnected through belts and pulleys 17 to the input end 18a of reducing coupling 18. At the output end 1812 of reducing coupling 18, there is mounted a cam 19. Every five turns of the screw extruder input shaft results in one rotation of cam 19. in each rotation of cam 19, micro switch E-154 is actuated. Each rotation of cam 19 constitutes one indexing cycle at each station 1 and 1V.

in the following discussion the parison loader apparatus of station l is denoted by the suffix a, in contradistinction to the parison loader apparatus of station IV wherein the equivalent apparatus features are denote by the suffix, b.

Micro-switch 13-154 is electrically connected to parison loaders 20a and 20b for extruders 11a and 11b respectively. Theparison loaders 20a and 20b are mechanically equivalent. The function of the parison loaders is to sever the parison P from the respective die faces 16a and 16b, grab or pinch the parison at the top severed end and then lower the parison so as to position the parison between parted halves of an opened mold.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 3 and 8 there is shown parison loader 20a. A tubular support frame-21a supports a cantilevered top flange member 220, cantilevered intermediate flange member 23a and a cantimeans of bolts a (typical). Stop member 41a is fixedly mounted at an intermediate portion of ram 26a and contactingly engages the lower face 42a of guide fixture 38a. Member 41a is in turn disconnectably fixed in place by nut 42a. Ram 26a passes through parison lowering member 440 being held in place by means of nuts 43a and a. Parison lowering member 44a is provided with two vertically disposed through holes 45a and 46a for sliding engagement with two vertically disposed spaced rods 48a and 490 respectively. The top and bottom ends of each of the rods 48a and 4a are securely mounted to flanges 23a and 24a respectively. A bracket 51a is mounted to the side 52a of parison lowering member 44a, that is, that side of the parison loading member 44a that is in facing relationship with the die 15a of extruder 11a. Extending outwardly from bracket 51a are two pair of spaced bracket portions 52a1, 52a2, 53111 and 53a2. A pair of double acting air cylinders 54a and 550 are horizontally, transversely disposed to and mounted through and between one each of the two pair of brackets. That is one cylinder each is mounted between one of said pair of bracket portions 5201, 5202, 53111 and 53a2. Between and at the ends of the cylinders 54a and 55a, plates 56a' and 57a respectively, ar e fixedly mounted soas to be movable with the retraction and extension of the rams for the cylinders 54a and 55a. A pair of facing vertically disposed angle flanges 60a and 61a are also mounted for horizontal movement with the simultaneous double acting extension and retraction of the rams of pneu-- posed plates or jaws 62a and 63a are mounted to respective flanges 60a and 61a, that is, one jaw for each flange. Of course the flanges 60a and 61a and in turn the jaws 62a and 63a would be moved toward and away from each other with-retraction and extension by cylinders 54a and 55a.. I

Mounted to the top face of jaw 62a is parison severing member 80a. The parison severing member is fixedly mounted to jaw 62a by means of bolts 64a (typical). The top edge 81a of parison severing member 80a levered bottom flange member 240. Flange members 23a and 24a are generally of the same configuration and are in opposed facing relationship. Supportedly mounted between cantilevered intermediate flange 23a is a vertically disposed pneumatic cylinder 25a. A re- .tractably extensible ram 26a is slidably received in the As stated a retractably extensible ram 260 is in sliding bottomend 27a of cylinder 250. End face 27a of pari- V is in sliding resilient relationship with die'face 16a of Referring now specifically to FIG. 8, there is shown parison P centrally axially located on the line of closure for jaws 62a and 63a. Edge portions 62a] and 63a1 of jaws 62a and 630 are in facing relationship. In the retraction of cylinders 54d and 55a, jaws 62a and 63a.

move toward each other and edge portions 62a1 and 63al contactingly, grippingly pinch parison P. Edge 1 portion 81a faces upwardly from face 65a of a so as engagement with the bottom 27a of pneumatic cylinder 250. A guide fixture 38a depends from and is mounted to vertical depending portion 39a of flange 23a, by

to sever the parison P from die face 16a. The severing edge 81a completely passes through parison P after jaw edges 62a] and 6301 have securely, grippingly, re-

tained the parison therebetween. Parison severing.

the jaws 62a and 63a closed on the parison and in a lowered position. When cylinder 25a is actuated by cam actuated micro-switch El54, ram 26a is extended downwardly thereby lowering member 44a as it slidably engages rods 48a and 49a.

Mirco-switch El54 simultaneously actuates pneumatic cylinders 54a, 55a and 25a, so that as pneumatic cylinder 25a begins to lower member 44a, cylinders 54a and 550 are being retracted so as to retract or close plates or jaws 62a and 630 on parison P. Inasmuch as the parison lowering member 44a has a mechanical lag as compared with the quicker acting jaws 62a and 63a, the parison is severed (by severing member 80a) and grabbed (by jaws 62a and 63a) just prior to being lowered.

In lowering the parison, member 440 moves to a lowered position as shown in broken line illustration. An adjustable stop 90a is affixedly mounted to bottom flange 24a, so that upon descent of member 44a, lower depending end portion 750 of shaft 26a contactingly abuts protruding shaft end portion 91a of stop 90a. The stop 90a is adjustable to insure the proper vertical positioning of parison P in the opened mold (not shown in FIG. 3). I

Further as lowering member 44a nears the end of its descent, micro-switch E-116a is contacted and actuates the closing of mold A at station I, as will be fully discussed hereinafter. It is of course understood that at about the exact same time, parison severing, grabbing and lowering operations are also being performed at station IV, so as to lower a second parison into opened mold D and similarly, micro-switch E-l16b would be actuated to close the parted mold sections ofmold D on said second parison.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotary turntable, generally shown as 10,.is of conventional size'and generally of conventional construction with certain modifications as will be discussed hereinafter. The turntable is driven by a standard 10 h.p. motor 100 which is connected through belts and pulleys generally shown as 101 to clutch 102 actuatable by clutch valve SVl08. The clutch 102 is a MO7S Posidyne, manufactured by Force Control Industries, Hamilton, Ohio. A master cam E-106 for the rotary turntable is mounted adjacent to the drive motor 100 and is operatively connected to clutch solenoid valve SVl08. The master cam is an Allen Bradley Bulletin 803, Style E, Model 9E manufactured by Allen Bradley Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The master cam E-l06 comprises nine distinct limit switchs, LSWl through LSW9 inclusive; L.S.W.s 1, 2, 4 and 7 not being utilized for the particular embodiment of the invention as described herein. Each of the operable L.S.W.s are designed so as to be actuated during particular times during rotation of the turntable for the sequential timing of the several blow molding operations.

When clutch 102 is engaged the drive motor drives circumfrential gear 105 which in turn engages the dircumfrental gear 106 of turntable so as to cause rotation of the turntable in the counter-clockwise direction as viewed in'FlG. 1. Thusly, mold A moves from station I to station I] and mold E moves from station II to station 111, and so forth.

A cylindrical support column 110 is axially disposed to rotary turntable 10 and is mountedto base frame 107 of rotary turntable 10. Support column 110 is provided with connection for compressed air and water for performing blow molding operations for each mold, in the conventional manner. At the upper end of support column is a commutator 111 which maintains electrical connection from the master cam El06 to and from the parison loaders 20a and 20b and the several molds, as the turntable is rotated.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 4, there is shown mold assembly D in the opened position at station IV, although it is of course to be understood that this opened mold disposition is typical of each mold at either station I or stationIV. It is also of course understood that all of the molds have corresponding features and each of the suffixes A-D denote a particular mold.

Mold assembly D comprises a vertically disposed inner support frame 112D and a spaced, opposing, facing, vertically disposed, outer support frame 113D. Frames 112D and 113D are fixedly mounted to member 114D which in turnis mounted to frame 107. Four horizontally disposed, spacedmold support rods 115D,

116D, 117D and 118D are transversely fixedly mounted to and between support frames 112D amd 113D by means of nuts 119D (typical). Two sections 120D and 121D of partible mold D are slidably mounted on support rods 115D, 116D, 117D and 118D. The mold sections 120D and 121D are disconnectably connected to brackets 122D and 123D respectively. One end 124D of linkage assembly 125D is fixedly secured to bracket 122D and the other end 126D of linkage assembly 125D is fixedly secured to member 127D. Member 127D is formed with four through holes 128D, 129D, 130D and 131D for sliding engagement with support rods 115D, 116D, 117D and 118D, respectively. Four mold close rods 132D, 133D, 134D and 135D are fixed secured at one end of each thereof to member 127D by means of nuts 136D and 137D (typical). The other respective ends of rods l32Dl 35D inclusive are secured to bracket 123D by,

means of caps 138D, 139D, 140D and 141D, respectively.

Linkage 125D comprises a series of linkages 142D, 142D and 143D; linkage 142D at one end being pivotally connected to bracket 127D and at the other end being pivotally connected to linkage 142D; linkage 142D in turn is rotatably mounted on shaft 144D and the other end of linkage 142D is pivotally'connected to linkage 143D; and linkage 143D is in turn pivotally connected to bracket 122D. A drive linkage assembly D is mounted to the pivotal connection of linkages 142 and 143 and said linkage assembly is fixedly mounted to vertically disposedretractably extensible ram 151D of pneumatic cylinder 152D.

By this manner of construction mold D is opened by the actuation of solenoid valve SV117D to deliver compressed air to cylinder 152D to cause the vertical extension of ram 151D causing the upward movement of drive linkage 150D which in turn causes counterclockwise rotation of pivotal connections of linkages 142D"and 143D, and l42D-and 142D about shaft 144D. This linkage rotation results in mold section 120D and member 127D being drawn closer-in sliding on support rods ll5D-l 18D, inclusive. Mold section 121D is concommitantly moved away from its counterpart sections 120D by the reaction of member 127D pushing rods 132D-l35D, inclusive. To close the mold D, solenoid valve SV117D is actuated to deliver compressed air to cylinder 152D to cause the downward retraction of ram 151 which in turn causes the downward movement of drive linkage 150D which in turn results in the clockwise rotation of the aforesaid pivotal connections. The linkages 141D, 142D and 143D are thusly extended causing mold section 120D and 121D to close at a pre-calculated centerline disposed below the axis of the parison P at station IV.

In H6. 5, mold A is depicted as having just been closed on a lowered parison. The linkages 141A, 142A and 143A are shown extended horizontally. The rotational direction arrows about shaft 144A at station 1 are to blow pipe assemblies 170A'170D.

Each blow pipe assembly 170 (A-D) is of usual design, such as by way of example the blow mold cylinder described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,773. The blow pipe assembly pierces the parison'enclosed in the mold and then introduces compressed air to the interior of the parison so as to cause the parison to expand to conform to the interior of the mold configuration, thereby forming a blown object such as a container and the like. In FIG. 5, mold A is enclosed on parison P and is pinching the parison, the lower end thereof is pinched and sealed so as to form bottom flash F1 and the top end of the parison pinched to form top flash F2. The pariin contacing relationship with end 322 of bushing 308 when the mold is closed.

The sperically-shaped end 319 is off-set from the axis of the rod. This spherical shaped surface pressing contacts the parison top flash portion F2. That is the opposed facing spherically headed bolts pinch the parison as the mold is closed on the lowered parison. In

P16. 7, P is shown in pinched construction. The opposed bolts 319 and its' counterpart are in horizontal axial alignment. The spherical ends of bolt 319 and its counterpart push the top flash of the parison along a line about coaxial with the center of gravity of the objectfThis coaxial alignment assures that the object 0 will fall free straight down without cocking in a direction because of imbalance, when released by the unloader.

Rod 311 is attached by nut 332 to retractably extensible ram 330 of pneumatic cylinder 331. A compression spring 333 is housed in air cylinder 331 so as to bias the rods away fromthe center-line of the meeting line at which the molds close. The compression spring force is from about 5 to about 20 pounds and is readily overcome by the action of the closing molds which pull the rods 311 and 312 towards each other.

The other end of pneumatic cylinder 331 is formed with a flange 336 having a transverse through hole. Said through hole is coaxial with through hole 337 of upright flange 338. A second upright flange 339 having a coaxial hole is mounted on the other side of cylinder flange 336. A pin 340 passes through the aforesaid holes so as to provide a pivot for cylinder 331. Flanges.

339 and 338 are bolted to plate 341 by bolts 342 (typical) which plate 341 in turn is welded to and bolted to vertical mold frame support 112 (typical A-D). The opposing air cylinder 335 is likewise pivoted and bolted I to opposing mold frame support 113 (typical AD).

son P in FIG. 5 is thus ready for the introduction of Unloader assembly 180 (typical of A-D) comprises a pair of opposed facing symmetrical sections 181 and 182. The following discussionis generally limited to section 182 but it is of course understood that corresponding features are found in section 181. Each section comprises a mounting base, as 301 fixedly secured to a respective neck portion of the mold section 120 (typical A-D). Spaced above and in facing relationship to the base is a top 303. Sides 3.05 and 307 enclose the top 303 and base 301. Side 307 is shown for section 181. A bushing 308 fixedlysecured between the bottom face of top 303 and the top face of base 301. A rod 311 is slidably received through bushing 308 of section 182, and rod 312 is slidablyreceived through bushing 306 of section 181. Rod extension member 313 is fixed to post 315 of rod 311 by means of pin 316.

A washer 317 is mounted to end face 318 of rod extension member 313 by means of a spherical headed bolt 319. Bolt 319 is secured to extension member 313 by means of pin 320. The outer face, of washer 319 is A 3-way valved air limit switch Aleis fixedly mounted to the inward face of mold frame support 1 13' (typical A-D). The switch AL-135 isconstructed and positioned so that upon opening of the mold (A-D), mold section bracket 123 (A-D) trips the switch as the opened mold clears the major sectional dimension of the container 0.

Container'O is of course being held in place between the unloader rods under a force exerted by compressed air to the inlet sides of cylinders 331 and 335. The compressedair being supplied from the air source interconnected to SV-117. That is as the signal to-open the mold is provided by LSW3 (cam E-106) the actuation of SV-117 (AD) provides compressed air not only to open the mold but to prime the unloader cylinders as well. in this manner, container 0 remains in place as the mold is opened. I

Switch AL -135 interconnects a compressed air supply line 350 which is interconnected from a tap line from SV-l 17 (A-D) and then to the inlet sides or pressurization sides of each of unloader cylinder 331 and 335, respectively, through lines 351 and 356. Switch Alf-135, on itsouter outlet side is interconnected to the outlet side or depressurization side of each of the unloader cylinders 331 and 335 through lines 352 and in the cylinders is expelled through lines 352 and 353 to the atmosphere.

In FIG. 6, the functional schematic of the apparatus is simplified to show molds A and D at stations I and IV, respectively. It is of course understood that diametric molds B and E, and C and F could similarly be represented.

In FIG. 6, and referred to herein, the numbers in brackets refer to the particular circuit under discussion.

The screw extruders 11a and 11b are turned on to operate simultaneously at identical rates of production For each and every five turns or rotations of the extruder screw 11a, cam 19 undergoes a single rotation closing switch E-154, closing the circuit through the normally closed contacts 200 of master coil R1 (mounted on master panel, not shown). In closing switch E-154, solenoid valves SV-l20a, SV-120b are actuated, permitting compressed air to cylinders 25a and 25b, thereby causing parison loaders 20a and 20b, respectively, to be lowered (201 and 202). Concommitantly, the same closing of switch E-l54 actuates solenoid valves SV-119a and SV-119b permitting air to cylinders 54a, 55a and 54b, 55b respectively, thereby causing the closing (203 and 204) ofjaws 62a, 63a and 62b, 63b, respectively so as to grab and sever parisons at stations I and IV respectively. As stated insofar as the jaws 62a, 63 a and 62b, 63b are quicker acting than lowering members 44a and 44b, the parisons P are first severed and grabbed before actually being lowered.

As parison loaders 20a and 20b are nearing the end of their descent, members 45a and 45b, trip microswitches E-116a and E-ll6b, respectively closing the circuits (205 and 206), respectively, so as to actuate the respective mold closing solenoids SV-117A and SV-1l7D (207 and 208). The circuit connections from the micro-switches E-116a and El16b to the mold solenoid valves SV-ll7D are made through brush (typical) and slip ring (typical) of commutator 111 (typical).

As molds A and D close, respectively, mold sections 121A and 121D trip switches E-112A and E-112B closing the blow air on" circuits (209 and 210), to cause the expansion of the parisons. The closing of circuits (209, 210) also energizes relay R1 and'switch E-ll8, so that R1 normally open contacts 211, close solenoids SVll9A, D and SV-l20A, D to cause the parison loaders 20a and 20b to return to their upper positions (circuits 212, 213), and concommitantly to open the parison gripping jaws (62a, 63a, and 62b,

As the molds rotate 60, limit switchs LSWS and LSW6 actuate the closing of the circuit to shut blow air off to the molds (B andE for the case at point) that are next approaching stations I and IV. Upon somewhat further rotation before indexing, limit switch LSW3 closes and energizes solenoid valve SV-l17F and SV-117E so as to open the mold to permit unloading of bottles and to institute another indexing cycle.

' In FIG. 6, the schematic diagram shown for molds A and D only and therefore limit switches LSWS and LSW6 will actuate SV111A and SV-lllD to shut off the blow air at about the end of the third index cycle, that is when mold A reaches station IV and mold D reaches station I, at l80 rotation. These operations are of course repeated so that each mold A-D is unloaded and reloaded twice for each 360 rotation of the turntable.

' In actuality LSWS and LSW6 are interconnected through a jump switch E-125 at commutator 111. So that in oneindex cycle LSW6 of cam E-106 will actuate the air off to both molds A and D and in the next index cycle LSWS of cam E-l06 will actuate the air offto both molds B and E. That is each limit switch, LSWS or LSW6, is actuated during each alternate index cycle. Since there are six molds for a 360 rotation, each limit switch LSWS or LSW6, is actuated every other 60 rotation period of the turntable 10.

Also near the termination of each index cycle LSW8 is actuated to assist commutator 111 in the load switching so as to prolong the useful life of commutator 111.

During discharge of the containers from the respective molds,'as aforesaid, and as the molds are entering the respective extruder stations Iv and IV, LSW9 of cam E-106 actuates SV-108 to disengage clutch 102 causing the turntable to stop. That is to say the 'mold comes to a complete stop to discharge the container and immediately thereafter 'receive'the next formed parison which is being lowered into the now opened and unloaded mold. (See action sequence of FIG. 4). This combination of parisonloading and container unloading as the turntable is indexed, minimizes the dwell time at the extruder stations.

Since each mold undergoes bottle unloading and parison loading twice for each rotation, production rates can in theory be doubled that of conventional systems.

Furthermore, while the molds A-D are shown as being. identical in the preferred embodiment this need not be the case and it is within the contemplation of this invention to produce at least two different products simultaneously with a single rotary turntable. Further the thermoplastic material at each extruder, e.g., 11a and 63b), as by circuits (214, 215). Further the closing of v normally open contacts 211 of relay Rl, clutch solecauses engagement of clutch 102 to start rotation of the v turntable.

11b, need 'not be the same but may vary inpolymer structure or certain physical properties such as color. Therefore it is also within the. contemplation of this invention to simultaneously produce at least two products of different polymers and/or color with a single rotary turntable. 1

It is within the contemplation of this invention that the means to form a parison comprise a thermoplastic extruder and die operatively positioned at a station. Further it is also within the contemplation of this invention thatmeans to form a parison comprise a singleextruder with means to convey the extruded-mass to at least two separate dies, wherein each of the dies being operatively positioned at first and second stations circumfrentially spaced one from the other. In other words while it may be desirable, it is not necessary to provide separate extruders at each station whereat a parison is to be formed. Molten thermoplastic material may be conveyed to parison forming dies at any desired station or number of stations. Therefore the terms means to form a parison" is defined herein as including the immediately aforesaid arrangement of a single extruder with separate remote die means as well as the heretofore described preferred embodiment.

Further it is also within the contemplation of this in- I vention to have more than two extruder stations in operation so as to further increase the production rates. Also of course more than one parison may be formed at each extruder station and several containers may be blow molded simultaneously at each mold assembly.

As can be seen the above description discloses a method and apparatus for producing hollow plastic articles such as containers at substantially higher rates of production than was previously heretofore possible with a, rotary indexing turntable.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be apparent that various modifications in the methodand apparatus'described in detail herein, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific embodiment shown herein, but is to be construed according to the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A blow molding apparatus comprising a rotary indexing turntable,- means to rotatably index the turntable at a predetermined number of circumfrentially spaced stations, said turntable having at least one partible mold mounted therewith for each of first and second indexing stations, means to provide opened molds at said first and second stations, first means to form a first parison operatively positioned at said first station, and second means to form a second parison operatively positioned at said second station circumfrentially spaced from said first station, said first and second parisons being formed at about the same time, means to position said first parison and means to position said second parison between the parted sections of each of the respective molds at the respective first and second stations, means to close said opened molds on said extruded and positioned parisons at the respective first and second stations, first means and second means to introduce air under pressure to the interior of each of the respective parisons to expand'the parisons to cona first extruder and first die means and wherein saidsecond parison forming means comprises a second extruder and second die means, said die means being spaced from said respective molds, and wherein said rate of first extrusion is about equal to the rate of said second extrusion, and means to interconnect the first extruder to each of said means to position said parisons between the respective opened molds, so as to simultaneou sly position-said first and second parisons, said means to simultaneously position said first and second parisons comprising cam means mounted with said interconnecting means and switch means operatively mounted with said cam means. to be actuated thereby, whereby the first extrusion rate is proportional to the rate of actuating said switch-means, said switch means being interconnected to first parison severing and gripping means and first parison lowering means and to second parison severing and gripping means andsecond ing means so that the severing and gripping of the pari- 7 sons is completed prior to the lowering of the parisons.

3. The blow molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said parison severing and gripping means comprises a pair of opposed jaws, means interconnected with said opposed jaws to retractably close said. opposed jaws, said jaws being disposed on opposite sides of the respective parison and being below said die means and said means to retractably close said jaws being actuated to close by said switch means. 

1. A blow molding apparatus comprising a rotary indexing turntable, means to rotatably index the turntable at a predetermined number of circumfrentially spaced stations, said turntable having at least one partible mold mounted therewith for each of first and second indexing stations, means to provide opened molds at said first and second stations, first means to form a first parison operatively positioned at said first station, and second means to form a second parison operatively positioned at said second station circumfrentially spaced from said first station, said first and second parisons being formed at about the same time, means to position said first parison and means to position said second parison between the parted sections of each of the respective molds at the respective first and second stations, means to close said opened molds on said extruded and positioned parisons at the respective first and second stations, first means and second means to introduce air under pressure to the interior of each of the respective parisons to expand the parisons to conform to the interior of the respective molds so as to form hollow objects therein, means to cool each of said objects during rotation of the turntable and circumfrential transfer of tHe molds from said respective first and second stations, and means for removing the formed objects from the opened molds so as to permit other extruded parisons to be positioned therebetween, and wherein said first parison forming means comprises a first extruder and first die means and wherein said second parison forming means comprises a second extruder and second die means, said die means being spaced from said respective molds, and wherein said rate of first extrusion is about equal to the rate of said second extrusion, and means to interconnect the first extruder to each of said means to position said parisons between the respective opened molds, so as to simultaneously position said first and second parisons, said means to simultaneously position said first and second parisons comprising cam means mounted with said interconnecting means and switch means operatively mounted with said cam means to be actuated thereby, whereby the first extrusion rate is proportional to the rate of actuating said switch means, said switch means being interconnected to first parison severing and gripping means and first parison lowering means and to second parison severing and gripping means and second parison lowering means, so that upon actuation of said switch means said first parison and said second parison are simultaneously severed from the respective extruder die means, gripped and then lowered into position between the opened partible molds.
 2. The blow molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein there is a mechanical lag in each of said parison lowering means so that the severing and gripping of the parisons is completed prior to the lowering of the parisons.
 3. The blow molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said parison severing and gripping means comprises a pair of opposed jaws, means interconnected with said opposed jaws to retractably close said opposed jaws, said jaws being disposed on opposite sides of the respective parison and being below said die means and said means to retractably close said jaws being actuated to close by said switch means. 